The frail counselor you said, you fight against three heroes alone?

In the Parthian Empire, King Hesheli of Parthia frowned in the main hall of the royal palace.

He held Xi Yu's letter tightly in his hand. The contents of the letter were like a sharp blade, piercing straight into his heart.

The princess was unwilling to return to the Parthian Empire. Although the wording in the letter was polite and tactful, the words between the lines revealed the unquestionable tough attitude of the Han Empire.

It felt like a treasure that you cherished was taken away by force, and the other party arrogantly told you that there was no possibility of returning it.

"This is too much!" Hesheli roared and threw the letter to the ground.

His eyes burned with anger, and an idea flashed through his mind instantly - send troops! Let the Han Empire know that the Parthian Empire is not to be trifled with.

However, as soon as this thought came to mind, it was ruthlessly suppressed by the cruel reality.

He was well aware that the national strength of the Parthian Empire was far inferior to that of the Han Empire.

If we rashly send troops, it would be like hitting a rock with an egg, and it would only bring the Parthian Empire into an irretrievable situation.

He slumped on the throne, his anger gradually replaced by helplessness and sorrow.

At this moment, the attendant hurriedly reported: "Your Majesty, Shi Daming is back."

Hesheli was invigorated and said quickly: "Quick, let him in!"

After a while, Shi Daming walked quickly into the palace.

He looked tired, but couldn't hide the eagerness in his eyes.

When he saw the king, he hurriedly bowed.

Hesheli couldn't wait to ask Shi Daming to tell him about his experiences in the Central Plains.

Shi Daming nodded slightly and spoke slowly.

He recounted what he had seen and heard in the Central Plains, especially the attitude of the Han people towards Xi Yu, which was full of emotion.

"Your Majesty, the Han Dynasty is a powerful country and the people respect Xi Yu very much, but this also means that they are absolutely confident in their own strength. If we rashly send troops to attack, we will have no chance of winning." Shi Daming analyzed with a serious face.

Hesheli frowned, his eyes full of worry: "Do I need you to tell me this? Now I want you to come up with a countermeasure." The king and his minister fell into deep thought. The hall was filled with a tense atmosphere. Every second of silence seemed to be carrying a heavy burden.

Shi Daming pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, perhaps we can start with diplomacy. The Han Dynasty values ​​etiquette, so we can send envoys with valuable gifts to show the Han Dynasty our sincerity in wanting the princess to return home, while also emphasizing the princess's importance to the Parthian Empire, appealing to their emotions and reasoning."

Hesheli frowned slightly: "It's hard to persuade the Han people with diplomatic rhetoric alone. They are so tough now, how can they agree so easily?"

"Your Majesty, we can also make an effort in trade." Shi Daming continued, "We can negotiate with the Han Dynasty. If we can allow the princess to return to her country, we are willing to make certain concessions in trade, such as lowering the price of Parthia's specialties and increasing the supply of scarce goods to the Han Dynasty. The merchants of the Han Dynasty will profit from this and will definitely promote this matter."

A glimmer flashed in Hesheli's eyes, but then dimmed again: "These conditions are too tempting. What if the big man pushes further and asks for more?"

The two fell silent again, the problem still lay before them.

Hesheli frowned and shook his head gently: "Although this plan makes some sense, the risk is too great. If there is any mistake, our country will suffer heavy losses."

He discussed this idea with his ministers during the morning court session, but the ministers looked at each other in confusion and no one could come up with a better solution.

In the end, Hesheli waved his hands helplessly to Shi Daming.

"Go back and rest first, and think about it carefully. If you have a better plan, tell me."

Shi Daming took the order and left. It seemed that Hesheli was the only one left in the huge palace to face this difficult problem alone. He looked at the empty hall, full of sorrow.

Shi Daming returned home with a heavy heart and a gloomy face.

When his woman saw him returning, her eyes suddenly lit up with surprise. She ran towards him cheering and hugged him tightly.

"Don't touch me!" Shi Daming was very annoyed and pushed the woman away roughly.

The woman didn't expect him to do this. She staggered and fell to the ground. Her eyes were full of grievance and fear. Tears welled up in her eyes and she began to cry.

But at this time, Shi Daming was preoccupied with how to deal with the princess's problem. He didn't even look at the woman and walked straight into the house, leaving the woman alone crying.

After a while, Shi Daming calmed down a little, came to the woman, looked at her tear-stained face, felt a little guilty, and comforted her softly: "It's my fault, I'm in a bad mood, don't take it to heart."

The woman sobbed and asked him what was troubling him. Smith sighed and said, "The king is worried about the princess."

Upon hearing this, the woman snorted in disdain.

"Why should the king be worried? I heard that the princess is living well in the Han Dynasty. She doesn't want to return to Parthia to be under the king's control. This is a good thing."

Shi Daming was horrified and quickly covered the woman's mouth.

"Don't talk nonsense, woman! How can you question the king's love for the princess? If your words get out, you will lose your head!"

But the woman stubbornly broke free from his hand.

"I'm telling the truth. It's better for the princess to be free in the Han Dynasty than to come back and be used as a pawn."

Smith never thought that a woman would have such a bold idea.

However, Smith also stated that he was deeply indebted to the king and would be loyal to him all his life, and would not tolerate any remarks that were unfavorable to the king.

For him, the king's will is the criterion for his actions.

After hearing what he said, the woman knew that arguing was useless, so she could only sigh helplessly and say nothing more.

Smith breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the woman stop talking, but his thoughts quickly returned to the difficult problem the king had given him.

At night, candles flickered in the house.

The woman twisted her waist, her eyes sparkling with charm, and teased Shi Daming again: "My husband, I look forward to your return day and night. Now that you are by my side, why don't we find some happiness."

Although Shi Daming was still worried, he nodded after looking at the woman's beautiful appearance.

After a while of lingering, the woman snuggled in Shi Daming's arms and whispered, "My husband, I have something to share with you. One of my good friends is in trouble. Her husband dotes on his concubine, and the concubine is about to take over. My friend was so angry that she found a wizard to punish the concubine."

Shi Daming frowned and said, "Don't get involved in this kind of thing. The palace is most afraid of witchcraft, and the people will also be in chaos because of it."

The woman curled her lips: "I'm just talking, my friend is also being pushed into a corner."

Shi Daming fell into deep thought, feeling a little uneasy for some reason.

Shi Daming had no interest in such trivial matters in the boudoir, and was still thinking about the princess. But the woman kept chattering: "The wizard carved the concubine's birth date on a doll and cast some spells. Not long after, the concubine fell seriously ill and was bedridden."

When Shi Daming heard this, a light suddenly flashed in his eyes.

He sat up suddenly and asked the woman anxiously: "Tell me quickly, where is this wizard? Can we find him?"

The woman looked puzzled and said, "Why are you asking about this? This kind of wizard's methods are mysterious. You are a person in the court, don't get involved in these things."

Smith's eyes flickered, and a bold and dangerous plan emerged in his mind. He stared at the woman and said slowly: "This matter is of great importance. Don't ask too much. Just tell me how to find the wizard."

Smith told the woman seriously to speak quickly. Seeing his expression, the woman did not dare to delay any longer and told him the geographical location of the wizard.

Smith was suddenly overjoyed, as if he saw hope of solving the problem.

The next morning, Shi Daming hurried to the palace and informed King Hesheli of the news.

Hesheli frowned, his face full of suspicion: "Does this kind of witchcraft really work against people? If it gets out, I'm afraid it will be criticized."

Shi Daming hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I have heard of this kind of thing before, so why not give it a try? Even if it doesn't work, we won't lose much. If it works, dealing with Xi Yu may change the situation."

Hesheli thought for a moment and nodded slowly: "Then go find the wizard quickly and be sure to act in secret."

While the Parthian Empire was making intensive plans, Xi Yu knew nothing about it.

On this day, Xi Yu came to the territory under Sun Quan's jurisdiction to inspect.

Along the way, he saw that the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, the streets were in good order, and the simple folk customs were everywhere. He was very pleased, and after finding Sun Quan, he praised him highly, praising him for his good governance and allowing the people to live in such a harmonious environment. Sun Quan responded modestly, and the two sides had a very pleasant conversation.

Afterwards, Xi Yu went to other places to continue his inspection without stopping.

Meanwhile, farmer Ren Dabai has been looking worried these days because his son was reckless and playful, riding his horse at the market and accidentally trampled a passerby.

In order to compensate the injured for their medical expenses and losses, the family almost emptied out all their savings and had to borrow a large sum of money from relatives.

The heavy debts made Ren Dabai breathless. He knew that the money must be repaid as soon as possible, otherwise the friendship between relatives would be completely worn out.

Seeing how impoverished his family was, Ren Dabai gritted his teeth and decided to leave home and go out to work and earn money.

He looked at the familiar courtyard and dilapidated house with reluctance in his eyes, but for the sake of his family, he had no choice but to embark on an unknown working journey.

Ren Dabai walked slowly along the streets of the town, searching for job recruitment information in various shops and billboards, not missing any hope.

Whenever he met a passerby, he would approach him and ask if he knew where there was any work.

Just then, a passerby told him: "Hey, I heard that a family is hiring handymen. If you have time, you can go and try."

After saying that, he told Ren Dabai the route in detail.

A glimmer of hope ignited in Ren Dabai's heart. He followed the route indicated by passers-by, asked along the way, and finally arrived at a magnificent mansion.

This is Guangfu where Linglong is.

He took a deep breath, walked up and knocked on the door, hoping to find a job here to alleviate the difficulties at home.

After the doorman listened to Dabai's purpose of visit, he looked him up and down. Seeing that he was dressed simply but had a sincere look in his eyes, he stepped aside and let him in.

Then, the concierge took Ren Dabai through the winding corridor and came to a quiet room, saying, "Wait here, don't run around."

After saying that, he turned and left. Ren Dabai stood in the room, feeling uneasy, not knowing what would be waiting for him.

After a while, the manager Xu Dabao came into the house with steady steps.

He looked Ren Dabai up and down with a sharp gaze, a scrutinizing look in his eyes.

"What kind of work have you done before?" Xu Dabao asked.

Ren Dabai quickly replied: "I am a farmer. I have done all kinds of hard work, such as farming, chopping wood, and carrying water. It's no problem for me."

Xu Danian nodded slightly and asked a few more questions, and Ren Dabai answered them honestly.

Seeing that he was honest and simple-minded, and that he looked strong and healthy, Xu Danian said, "Then you should stay here and work hard. Don't be lazy or play tricks."

Upon hearing this, Ren Dabai showed a look of surprise in his eyes and he quickly knelt down and kowtowed to express his gratitude.

In this way, Ren Dabai officially started working in Linglong Mansion. He was looking forward to earning enough money to pay off his family's debts as soon as possible.

A few days later, when Ren Dabai was working in the mansion, he gradually learned about the situation from the other servants.

Now the wife is the one in charge.

The lady's name is Linglong, and everyone in the mansion respects her very much.

Ren Dabai was busy between the servants' room, kitchen and courtyard in the mansion every day, running around for various chores, but he had never seen this mysterious lady.

He knew in his heart that he was just a lowly servant, and without a special opportunity, it would be difficult for him to have the chance to meet the majestic lady.

But he didn't have any extravagant expectations. He just wanted to work hard and earn enough wages.

On this day, Ren Dabai was concentrating on watering the flowers when he suddenly heard someone next to him whispering, "You know what? Madam is walking in the yard. She might pass by here soon. We have to be polite."

Ren Dabai was stunned for a moment, and looked at the man nervously: "Really? What should we do if the lady comes?"

The man rolled his eyes at him and said, "What should I do? Bow! Bow deeply, don't talk nonsense, and don't look around."

Ren Dabai nodded quickly: "I understand, thank you for the reminder, but don't make any mistakes."

As he spoke, he tried hard to recall the etiquette he had learned before, his heart pounding like a rabbit.

After a while, she came over with graceful steps and elegant manners.

Upon seeing this, the servant immediately put down his work and bowed respectfully.

Ren Dabai was also busy preparing to salute, but when he raised his head, he was struck by lightning and stood still for a moment, his eyes full of disbelief.

"Daughter? This... this is my daughter!" Ren Dabai's voice was trembling with excitement, tears welled up in his eyes, and he subconsciously took a step forward.

Linglong and the servant were shocked by this sudden scene.

The servant frowned and looked dissatisfied: "Ren Dabai, what nonsense are you talking about? How can the lady be your daughter? Don't talk nonsense and disturb the lady."

Ren Dabai seemed not to hear anything. He just looked at Linglong with tearful eyes. His lips trembled. He wanted to say something, but his throat was choked by emotions.

"How could I be wrong? She is my daughter! I watched her grow up, and I will never forget her appearance even after I die."

As he spoke, he tried to get closer to Linglong, but was stopped by the servant next to him.

Linglong frowned, a trace of panic flashed in her eyes. She looked at the servant and asked, "What on earth is going on?"

The servant bowed and replied: "Madam, don't be alarmed. This new guy must be a lunatic and is talking nonsense."

Linglong looked at Ren Dabai with disgust and snorted coldly.

After saying that, he left quickly without looking back, leaving Ren Dabai struggling on the spot, still calling for his daughter.

The servant frowned and pointed at Ren Dabai with anger on his face, and shouted, "What the hell are you doing? Who is the lady? How dare you talk nonsense and say that she is your daughter? Are you going to die?"

Ren Dabai's eyes were empty, and he just murmured to himself: "That's my daughter, how could I have made a mistake?"

After saying this, he seemed to have lost all his strength. He sat down on the ground, holding his head with his hands. Tears continued to flow from between his fingers, and his body trembled slightly because of sobbing.

He couldn't understand why his daughter appeared here, why she became a high-ranking lady, and why she didn't even recognize him as her father?
The servants simply ignored Ren Dabai's crying. They looked at him with disgust and then dispersed to do their own things.

After a while, Ren Dabai gradually came to his senses from his excitement and realized that he had just lost his composure.

He wiped the tears from his face with his rough hands, his heart full of bitterness.

Perhaps he missed his daughter too much and actually mistook his wife for his own daughter.

He clearly remembered that his daughter had passed away many years ago, and the lady just now only looked somewhat like his daughter.

Thinking of this, Ren Dabai's eyes became red again. He suppressed his grief, picked up the kettle beside him, and continued to water the flowers silently, but his figure seemed more lonely and desolate.

Ren Dabai's mind kept replaying the exquisite face, and he was full of doubts. "Why does this woman look so much like my daughter? Even if they are twins, they wouldn't look this much alike, right?"

He muttered to himself, frowning.

He tried to recall every detail of his daughter's childhood, and every expression and every movement overlapped with Linglong he had just seen.

Linglong was still furious, and as soon as she returned to her room she sent someone to call the steward Xu Dabao.

Xu Dabao hurried over and saw Linglong's angry face. He was shocked and asked quickly, "Madam, what's wrong with you? Who made you so angry?"

Linglong raised her eyebrows and said angrily, "What have you done? What kind of people have you invited here? That new old man started talking nonsense when he saw me, saying that I was his daughter. It was totally incomprehensible, like a madman. It was really unlucky!"

Xu Dabao was also shocked when he heard this, and quickly bowed and said, "Madam, please calm down. It's my fault for not doing my job well. I will investigate it thoroughly and give you an explanation. I will never let this happen again."

After saying this, he hurriedly withdrew, thinking to himself, how could this Ren Dabai do such a ridiculous thing, and he should not bring disaster upon himself. (End of this chapter)